Hell Bound
by OfficialEzrianxX
Summary: "Run, Aria. Just keep running. Don't stop no matter how much it hurts. This is your only chance to get out of here."
1. Chapter 1

**In a way, you could call this a story version of a trailer. I won't be continuing this story until after Familiar Faces is finished. But I was so absorbed in this idea that I couldn't wait to write it. This is a very short chapter because I don't want to give so much away already. But the chapters after this, whenever they are put out, will be longer. I promise ;) Please review and tell me if you want me to continue or just comments. Each and every one is greatly appreciated.**

_"Stop struggling..." The doctor growled, shoving Aria's petite body against the hard metal board behind her. As he finished haphazardly stitching up her bleeding abdomen, the doctor left the room to get gauze wraps. Aria slid her wrist slowly out of the restraint and grabbed a scalpel that was lying next to all the rest of the torture tools. She flipped her wrist over so that the sharp tool was pressed up against her arm and the metal board as she slid her hand back in._

_As the doctor came back, he snorted as Aria whimpered in pain. "Get used to it." He wrapped the gauze tightly around her bleeding areas and unbuckled the restraints to her arms and legs._

_Aria pretended to leave as the doctor turned his back on her, beginning to write notes and observations in a folder. Aria ripped the wrap from around her mouth and readied the scalpel. Before the doctor could detect her presence, Aria tackled the man to the ground and tied his wrists together. She elbowed him into the jaw and took no hesitation as she drove the scalpel into the doctor's eyeball. The man let out a blood curdling scream and Aria could hear the loud foot steps and yelling of the other doctors. Aria took the opportunity and darted for the nearest exit. The freezing midnight air chilled her insides as Aria shoved the door open and took a deep breath of the clean air. She bolted away from the wicked building and the people inside, not once looking back._

_Run, Aria. Just keep running. Don't stop no matter how much it hurts. This is your only chance to get out of here._

Aria could feel the fresh stitches that littered her stomach coming close to popping out as she ran. She fought the strong urge to cry out in pain as the cool air burned the open wounds on her body. But she that she had to keep running. It was the only way she was to get away of that hellish asylum.

The only thing covering Aria's paper thin body as she escaped was hastily wrapped gauze around her chest and torn up, vomit dyed shorts. Her face was pale and nearly lifeless. The hospital slippers placed on her feet were no match to the rough forest ground her feet kept colliding against. She could feel twigs and other objects stabbing against the soles of her feet with each step she took. The fresh, chilling air now felt surreal to Aria. The sounds like the easy blowing of the wind and the woodland animals scurrying around, struck her as a dream. For so long, all that she knew was the feeling of isolation and the heart breaking, gut wrenching sounds of other patients tortured screams.

None of that mattered now though.. After two years in that place people call a 'rehab center', she was finally free. Even though Aria knew she was far away from Hell on Earth, she kept on going, it was the only thing she felt she could do. Frightened that someone was after her, Aria couldn't stop. No matter how much her body tried to convince her otherwise.

After what seemed to her like a few miles, Aria gave out. She collapsed next to a nearby tree and unwillingly emptied the contents of her stomach on to the forest ground. She could no longer see the tall, grey building from where she was kneeling. The building that snatched and destroyed any sense of innocence left in her. Aria knew that she was different now. The pure, but wrongly accused girl who entered that asylum died in there. The one that escaped, alienated and reserved, was born there.

When Aria gained some more strength to keep on going, she wandered through the dark, empty forest until she could spot a illuminated town in the distance. She leaned against an old looking tree and for the first time in two years, cracked a small smile. She slid her tired form to the ground, mesmerized by all the bright lights contrasting against the dark, night's sky. Something caught her eye as she watched a few cars pass through some streets near her. A big green sign that read...

_Welcome to Rosewood_


	2. Chapter 2

**For some reason, I don't know if I want to take this story in this way. I had the story planned out in my mind but then I found a story here similar to my ideas and I don't want to copy that person T.T. If you guys like the way I'm taking this story, then tell me. Otherwise, leave a review or even PM me and give me ideas cause now I'm a little stuck. But enjoy this chapter anyway!**

Her breath caught in her throat. Out of every town near the 'rehab center', she had to land in Rosewood. The memories that suffocated her started in this town. She had no idea how the people of this town would react after they saw Aria come back. Would her own parents even accept her?

Aria shakily made her way down the hill she was sitting on. The cool wind blew across her face, feeling almost heavenly. As she walked into the town she tried, unsuccessfully though, to shield her scarcely covered body with her bony arms and hands. Not that she thought anyone was out at this hour in the streets.

The hard, rough concrete made her thankful she had the now torn up hospital slippers around her feet. Walking the all too familiar streets of Rosewood was overwhelming, along with nerve wracking. A few cars passed by. Their bright headlights shining into her face like a spotlight. They slowly passed by Aria, the drivers shooting odd glances at the sickly looking teenager.

Finally, her journey through the small town ended in front of a large house. Aria's body shook with fear of what was in front of her and the cold of night. Her hazel eyes stared at the home with admiration and hints of happiness for once. She slowly and carefully padded up the wood stairs, as if they would break under her almost nonexistent weight. She stood at the old but sturdy wooden door for longer than she knew. Something inside of her was screaming at her to run away and never go back. But another half was tugging at her to knock on the door.

She brought a tight fist up and rapped her knuckles against the hard wood. Hearing the grumbling and rusting in the inside the household made her want to run, but she didn't. She stood frozen in place, as if imaginary crazy glue was holding her in place. The door swung open to reveal a tall boy. His brown hair was scattered around his head and his height nearly towered over her. He wore a look of complete shock and sadness.

"Aria?" He said, pulling her paper thin and scarred body into a hug. Aria was taken back by the sudden embrace, but was thankful for the boy's warmth.

"Mike..." She rasped into his ear, smiling as she dug her face into his heat filled neck. Mike led her inside the house and ran to grab Aria's shaking, mutilated body a blanket.

"Mom! Dad!" Mike shouted incredibly loud. "You guys gotta come down!" He wrapped his arms around his big sister and laid his head against her shoulder. "I didn't think you were ever coming back..."

"I didn't either," Aria croaked. She was startled as she saw two darkened figures descending from the stairs. They both gasped in shock as they room in the sight of their malnourished daughter.

"Aria." Ella and Byron whispered in unison as they both encased her in their arms. Aria whimpered from feeling trapped between the sea of bodies surrounding her small frame. She began to shake involuntarily as fear and panic overtook her mind.

Ella was the first to break from her embrace and guided Aria to the living room. "Aria, my baby..." She had her lay down on the soft couch as she gingerly removed the blankets and examined the bloodied stitches and scars across her thinning torso. "H-how did this happen, Aria?"

Aria stayed silent. Trying to find the words to tell her mother what those monsters had done to her over the past years.

"Let's just say that was no rehab center they dragged me to." She rasped. Ella still was highly confused but seeing the pain in her daughter's eyes, decided this wasn't the time for an interrogation.

Ella had led Aria upstairs, where she helped her strip out of her ratty clothes and run a bath. Aria cried out in pain as the water and soap hit her open wounds. The cuts seemed to sizzle with a searing, nightmarish pain. Ella, using her motherly knowledge, was able to successfully wash out the large knots in Aria's matted, unkempt hair and cleanse her body and face.

Ella had warmed up some left over pasta and oil for Aria, her appearance making it obvious she was in need of something to eat. Her hair was tied in a clean ponytail and she was wearing one of Byron's Hollis shirts and a pair of soft pajama pants. As Ella expected her to dive into the food, Aria merely stared at it before eating small portions at a time.

Seeing her daughter so broken shocked Ella. She no longer saw the brightness in Aria's eyes that she used to. Her usually excited, hazel eyes were now empty, just plain empty. She couldn't even imagine what kind of place Aria went to that broke her spirit down until it was nothing but dust.

* * *

Over the course of three weeks, Aria seemed to be getting better. At least compared to what she was like when she first came in. She was getting better at holding down her food and eating richer food as opposed to plainer ones. She seemed to have gained some weight back, having a small bump around her stomach from her meals.

Ella had tried to persuade Aria to go back to school. Saying that she needed an education and couldn't stay cooped up in the house forever. She wouldn't heal that way. Aria after days of her mother's begging, relented. She gave in to her mother's pleading and decided to go to school the following week.

_Aria was hauled out of the court room by two officers. Everyone in the court, including her friends, stared at the petite girl as she was led out of the building with her hands behind her back. Paparazzi surrounded every inch of the sidewalk as they tried to snap any picture or get any piece of information possible._

_When they reached the police station, she was placed back into the small cell she had stayed in for the past week. A few officers and her parents stayed inside an interrogation room, probably discussing Aria's form of punishment for what they thought she did. She had been set up, she knew it._

_"We think that sending her to the rehabilitation center in Ravenswood would be a suitable place. Seeing her insanity defense is keeping her from prison and she'd too dangerous for Radley." That was all Aria was able to hear until the cop saw her listening on and slammed the door close._

_Her parents wouldn't ship her off to a psych hospital? Would they? She knew for a fact that she was not insane. But that's what every nut job being sent to a place like that says, right?_

_When the officer came out of the interrogation room, her parents were both in tears. They stared at their daughter, who was kneeling against the bars of the cell, her shaking hands tightly clenched around the metal poles. They stared at her, not with pity, but with the disgusted, sad look you'd give a person who kicked a puppy._

_The cop swung open the cell door and roughly yanked her up. They tightened the metal handcuffs around her small wrists once more and led her outside, where an ambulance was waiting. The news cameras and reporters still followed them like hawks as they exited the building and shoved Aria into the ambulance. She was not insane. She didn't belong there._

Aria stared at her naked body in the mirror. Her small, thin fingers traced her slightly engorged stomach and her thin cheekbones. The scars were still there. They always would be. The thread stitching up those wounds were still weaved through her skin, seeing that she refused to see a doctor. She stared pitifully at her rib cage that stubbornly continued to poke out from her body, making her almost look like she was just bone.

It was her first day going back to school, or leaving the house since she came back nevertheless. Saying Aria was nervous would be an understatement. She had idea how the town would react when they saw her face.

* * *

Ezra dragged his red pen across a small corner of the paper her was grading, writing the grade for the sloppily written English paper. His classroom was empty and dim from the early morning sun. A knock at his door startled him out of his concentration.

"Ah, Mr. Hackett. What can I do for you?" Ezra asked the older man as he stepped into his room.

"Oh great, I caught you at a good time." His boss started, he flattened out his suede jacket a little nervously. "There is a new student who is coming into your class today. The individual has been... detained for about two years for reasons I'd rather not discuss." Mr. Hackett ceased from speaking. He let the younger man take in the news. Ezra was rather taken back. A student who was previously locked up? What was Hackett getting at?

"Ezra, I know that you have no trouble connecting with kids in your class at a platonic level. The pupils in your classes seem to really like you. That's why I was going to ask if you'd be able to help this student catch up with the curriculum when they arrive." Ezra, of course, simply agreed but was still a little shocked about the whole thing. Over his year and a half of being around in Rosewood, he'd never heard anything about a student who committed any sort of felony that required years of imprisonment. The subject seemed to hit a sore spot with Hackett as Ezra observed. The man kept straightening his jacket and clearing his throat. He had no idea what he just agreed to.

By the next bell, not long after Hackett left, Ezra's third period class began to file in. As the kids tiredly stumbled in, Ezra still sat at his desk twirling his red pen. His face was stuck in one of confusion and deep thought. After waking from his deep thinking, Ezra assumed his teacher like aura and began his class.

"Good morning class. I'd like you all to take out your essays from yesterday and pass them up..." Ezra announced, coming up to each row to collect the small stacks. He hadn't even realized the door had opened until almost the entire class gasped.

Ezra turned his head and laid his eyes on a beautiful, petite girl. Her waist length chestnut brown hair clouded her face, shielding her eyes from him. She looked skinny, even a little too skinny. This couldn't have been the person Hackett was talking about. He was expecting a tall male with military cut hair and large muscles. Maybe even tattoos. Not a small girl who looked as if she couldn't hurt a fly even if she tried.

"Can I help you?" Ezra asked after realizing he was staring a little too long at the young girl. /Get yourself together Ezra/. The small girl lifted her head, revealing bright hazel eyes that greatly contrasted against her pale skin. She nodded and spoke with a small, raspy voice.

"Is this Mr. Fitz's room?" Ezra heard whispering and stares circling around the room that were directed at this unknown girl. Ezra just nodded in response to the girls' question. He nodded and directed her to a seat next to Spencer Hastings. He observed oddly as Spencer stared at the girl with widened eyes.

"Aria, what are you doing back?" Her voice was laced with cold malice.


	3. Chapter 3

**I hope you guys are enjoying reading this story cause I'm really enjoying writing it! Please let me know what you think about this cause your feedback _really _matters. No review goes unnoticed or unappreciated!**

Ezra watched Aria's face whiten from Spencer's hard edged glare. Hanna Marin and Emily Fields also stared at the tiny girl with surprise but also a bit of fear. To be honest, most of everyone in the room had their eyes fixed on the highly malnourished girl. Ezra couldn't help but wonder what this girl had done to deserve the scrutiny she was receiving.

After he loudly cleared his throat, Ezra finally wrangled back the attention of his now hyper alert class and continued his lesson. He could help but notice Aria slipping in and out of focus as he spoke. Ezra picked up his voice in attempt to wake her back into the lesson. Her eyes snapped up almost instantaneously to meet his. Her prominent greenish eyes looked like they sunk deep into their dark sockets, like a hazel-eyed, still breathing ghost. Her look nearly snatched his breath away.

From his high angle, as he continued to ramble to his class about _The Great Gatsby_, he could see what looked like a faint stitch mark on her collar bone. Not that he was being perverted or anything, looking down a minor's shirt, but it was so obvious against her fair skin.

He hoped to God as he looked away that Aria nor anyone in the class caught him staring.

"Alright class, I want to know what is your impression of Gatsby in the first chapters that we are introduced to his character. Write it in your journals and if you don't finish in the 20 minutes, it is for homework, go!" Ezra turned his back and began to write the question on the black board behind him. As he turned back around, he saw Aria confusedly rummaging around her things. Placing the worn down piece of chalk back on the holder, he squatted down besides Aria's desk.

"Aria," He whispered, catching her attention, "If you haven't read the book-"

"I've read it already." She confirmed, her voice clipped but croaky.

"Well then, if you want to write the essay, go right ahead. But if you don't want to, I see you have the other required books so you can start to read those." Ezra eyed_ The Scarlet Letter_ and _Pride and Prejudice_ from inside the small leather bag hanging from the back of her chair. Ezra silently stood up and began to survey the room as he sauntered around. He tried to keep his focus on his class, but found it extremely difficult.

For some reason, this girl intrigued him. She looked and acted so innocent. He started to doubt the fact that she had been detained. It just didn't seem to add up in his mind.

He eyed Aria as she silently read. He mentally berated himself for longing to stare at her and wanting to know her. It seemed that everything was so captivating about her and he didn't know why.

The bell rung, dismissing all the students to their next classes. Ezra observed Aria as she packed up. He knew studying her without her knowing was wrong, but he could see something deep down. She just constantly looked sad, like she was trapped inside her own mind.

"Aria, can I borrow a moment of your time?" He blurted out as she almost reached the door. Aria stopped short and paused for a moment before timidly walked up to his desk, keeping her eyes down and focused on the fake wood that built his desk.

"I know you haven't been in school for a while and I was wondering if you'd be available some afternoons for tutoring sessions?" Ezra was digging himself into a deeper hole. He was supposed to be helping her in this school, but this girl was a complete mystery. Ezra felt himself wanting- needing- to find out everything about who she was, and what she had done. After only about thirty minutes with her and he had about a hundred questions to ask.

Aria nodded her head and gave Ezra what looked like a ghost of a smile.

"Great, well if your okay with meeting at The Brew whenever your free, I think it will help you catch up. You're free to go." Without meeting eyes once, Aria silently left the room, the soft clacking of her heels against the linoleum floor silenced in her wake.

Ezra honestly felt like a moth drawn to a flame, a dangerous burning flame. Because she was a minor, and he was her teacher.

* * *

High school was a little like the hell she had to stay in for two years. Just stay quiet, don't bring attention to yourself, and you'd be fine. People would look at her as if she was an object, or better yet, like she wasn't even there. Like they wanted to believe she wasn't there, because they were afraid.

As expected, Aria sat alone at lunch. Not that it made any difference to her. The only thing she wanted to do was get out of this school and out of this town. The people in it were suffocating and the guilt and emotional pain of just being there was unbearable.

"Aria!" She heard a voice call. Spencer Emily and Hanna were headed straight towards her very vacant table. She tried to resist the urge to scramble away as they came closer. "How have you been?" Hanna asked breathily as she dove into her lunch.

Aria had no idea why they were acting so nice to her. After what she had done to the three of them, why were they even looking in her direction. How had she been? Well, being ripped open and basically having her organs rearranged for 'science' was defiantly the highlight of her few years.

"I've been better." She muttered, refusing to make eye contact with her _ex_ best friends. Against the loud chatter of the lunch room, that table was the only one not engaging in conversation; all three girls could sense Aria's unease around them. Emily also looked a little flustered that they were siting with Aria. They hadn't seen her in years and now they were trying to be friends again. The strange silence between the four was broken as Spencer piped up.

"Hey, Ar. I'm sorry about how I acted in English. I was just so shocked that-"

"It's okay, really." Aria responded. Why weren't her 'friends' ready to kill her and send her back to the rehab center? Why were they being so gentle to her? They were practically acting like what she did never happened!

"We all really missed you." Hanna stated, reaching out to touch Aria's hand. Spencer nodded and Emily merely grunted, not wanting to look her way. Aria didn't answer Hanna, it's not that she didn't miss them too, she just didn't deserve to be accepted here again.

"Why did you do it, Aria? What did you get out of it?" Emily asked scornfully. Spencer and Hanna hissed at Emily, mumbling some things to calm her down. Aria sat at the table, frozen. Why did she do it? Aria shakily stood up with all of the girls eyes on her, but she looked away, not wanting to look at Emily's searing gaze.

"You deserve an answer. But I don't have one." Spencer tried to interject into what Aria was saying. "Nothing I can say or do can reverse what I did. You guys can stop with the whole nice act."

"But Aria-" Before Spencer could finish what she was saying, Aria angrily picked up her untouched lunch and dumped it out. She then wordlessly ran out of the cafeteria, leaving Emily, Spencer, and Hanna speechless.

* * *

Aria had told Ezra that she was available after school for tutoring. Home was the last place she wanted to be right now. To be fair, this entire town was the last place she wanted to be in. But it was the one place she knew she was safe, even if she didn't feel it.

As soon as Aria entered the coffee shop, a few shocked gasps pierced through the calm silence. People craned their heads all around to look at Aria as she whipped her head around to find Ezra.

"Aria, hi." Ezra said hurriedly, noticing all of the expressions from the shop goers. "Can I get you a coffee or something?"

"No thank you, Mr. Fitz." She said, nodding nonchalantly and quickly striding to the table he was seated at.

"You can call me Ezra outside the classroom, Aria."

"No, I can't." Aria said in a fast tone before quickly diverting her face. Ezra was slightly appalled by her quick response and waited a moment before sitting down.

"O-okay. Well, uh, take a seat and we'll review some of the basics that you have missed." He rambled as he shuffled through his lesson plans. "You have the required books, right?" Aria merely nodded in response and retrieved the respective books from her leather bag.

Ezra observed Aria as she writhed in her seat, seemingly nervous and unable to keep still. She constantly changed the position of her feet and her hands as he spoke.

"What's your opinion on the themes in the book; sin and guilt." He asked, trying to capture Aria's attention as he tapped his pointer finger on _The Scarlet Letter._

Aria body was there with him, he could certainly see her right in front of him. Her eyes, on the other hand, seemed distant. They always did seem that way whenever he looked into her hazel abysses. She seemed to be in her own world at the moment, like she was in his classroom.

Ezra noticed the lack of passion or even the slightest bit of interest in what he was talking about. Even it wasn't in English, he could always see a passion about something in everyone's eyes- except Aria's.

_The ambulance smelled of antiseptic and latex. Aria's arms began to scream with pain as she rubbed them up against the tightly fastened cuffs. Everything about being in this vehicle made her want to cry. The strong feeling of being trapped in there was suffocating. She felt her breath and heart quicken as she tried to calm herself. Now was not the best time to have a panic attack, they'd only think she was more insane. From the two windows on the doors, she could see the darkness taking over the sky. Aria tried to focus on the trees or the setting sun to relax her to some degree._

_When the ambulance stopped, she was roughly grabbed by the two officers driving the automobile and heaved up the hard steps. As the old wooden doors opened, the musty smell of dust and a metallic scent filled her nose. A few people were already what she assumed was the lobby. They all gave odd looks as Aria was led to one woman dressed in a nuns uniform. She smiled ruefully at Aria was wordlessly grabbed her immobile wrists and walked her into a room. The room was a dirty white and it smelled of grime. The woman placed Aria down face first down on the hard, metal bed, unstrapped her bloodied wrists from the shackles, and stabbed a large needle into her neck. The contents of the needle stung like liquid fire injected into her neck._

_"Welcome to Ravenswood." The old voice from the woman crooned._

"Aria?"

He waited a moment for her to react to his voice as it rose. Suddenly, without even thinking, Ezra placed his hand atop of Aria's in an attempt to wake her back into the present. She was immediately startled by the sudden warm touch from his palm and yanked her hand away.

"I-I'm sorry, Ezr- Mr. Fitz. What were you saying?" Aria asked as she tried to focus on something to keep her from slipping away into her own mind.

"The themes in the book, guilt and sin. What do you think about them?" He watched Aria think for a moment, glancing at his hand which was still resting on the book.

"The sin relates to the story of Adam and Eve, right? There mistakes gives Hester and Dimmesdale punishment but also knowledge." The corners of Ezra's mouth turned up and he nodded, praising Aria. He began to ask her more questions and talk with her about the books, in hopes she wouldn't drift away again.

People around them continued to stare, murmuring rumors and rude comments. None of them Ezra was able to fully comprehend, but it seemed to him that Aria could hear them perfectly. Tears formed in the corners of her tired, dark eyes as she listened to Ezra talk.

The pain was too much for him to see. These people were heartless and couldn't see how much this girl was coming undone right in front of him. Her small, bony hand covered her mouth as she tried to keep back sobs. Ezra gently placed his warm palm on hers again to bring her attention back to his voice.

"We can continue this another time. Next session can be somewhere a little more private." He plucked a loose leaf sheet of paper from inside his bag and scribbled his address onto it. "Just contact me in class whenever your available." He smiled sympathetically and began to pack up his things. The session hadn't been a complete bust, but it definitely could have gone better. He wished he could see what was hurting her so badly and could know what all those people continue to gossip about. But it was very well possible that he may never know.

It might have been a little odd, but Ezra felt a large pull towards this girl. He not only wanted to know more, but he wanted to help her. It was wrong, so wrong. He could be fired from his job just by having her in his apartment, but he felt like he had to- and it scared him.

**I want to try and do a flashback every chapter even if it's a short one. I want to know what you want to see from Aria's past in Ravenswood of even before that. I can't spoil what she did just yet but there are some hints of what she did. Please don't forget to review and thank you for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm actually really happy with how this chapter came out. This story really gives me a chance to dive deep into a dark place and explore different emotions than in my other stories. I hope you all enjoy the chapter and are loving the story as a whole like I do! Reviews are highly appreciated.**

"Hardy, I'm in trouble." Ezra admitted with a grumbling head shake as he handed his long time friend a beer. Hardy was his trusted adviser whenever it came down to his pitiful troubles. The dirty blonde man blew air out of his nose as he popped the cap of the beer off.

"What's going on, bro? Still hurting over Jackie or is your mother being bitchy? I can't exactly help you with the latter but I'm here for venting." He asked sarcastically as he took a small swig. The two men leaned against the back of Ezra's kitchen counter, alcohol in hand. Ezra's mind was nonstop reeling over Aria. She was a mystery, and he was captured in her trance.

"Neither actually, it's um... So there's this girl, m-my student..." Before Ezra could finish, Hardy slapped an open palm against Ezra's weak chest to silence him, making him groan in pain.

"I'm going to stop you right there and make you think about what you just said." Hardy's face looked dead serious in comparison to the upbeat, sardonic attitude he had on moments before. He turned to look right at Ezra, keeping his palm against his body. "I know exactly where this is going and I just want to say, don't be an idiot about this, man. You worked too hard to get this job and you are not going to throw it all away because of some minor."

"Hardy, I don't know what it is, but there is just something about her that just draws me in. She's beautiful and mysterious but broken and-" Ezra hopeless rambles were cut off by another one of Hardy's serious glares.

"Another reason for not getting involved, she's broken, as you said. We all know that you like to live up to your name, but you can't just step into her life and expect her to open up to you. It is none of your business. Leave it alone. Don't touch it with a 50 foot pole. Just leave her be." Ezra huffed and downed a good quarter or his beer. "Ezra, I'm serious. Be rational about this dude, you even saying the wrong thing to that girl could cost you your job."

Ezra remained silent, focusing on blood orange sky from his open terrace door. Hardy wasn't lying when he said he could lose his job, just giving her his address like he did could result in him scrambling for a new job. But for some reason, the pull towards her was so strong.

Hardy watched silently as his friend thought over his argument, little did he know that his complaints and worries only made Ezra crave her even more. "If that's all you called me here for man, I'm out. Think over what I said, I'm just trying to do the best thing for you." And with that, the dirty blonde left the building, his fingers still wrapped around the half full beer bottle.

* * *

Her parents said she was getting better. She looked better, gaining weight little by little. But that was only the things outside her baggy sweaters and decorative leggings. Aria's scars and stitches were still prominently visible on her nearly translucent skin. The dark purple circles didn't seem to disappear from under her sunken eyes, no matter how much concealer she smothered on.

Aria often sat by the mirror by her door. Her tiny legs folded up, shielding her scrawny, unhealthy body. She would stare into that mirror until it hurt. Her reflection screamed back at her, but it was almost hypnotizing. The more she looked at herself, the less she saw of the person she used to be. She didn't deserve a second chance like this. She didn't deserve to be babied and helped. She was nothing. A cold hearted, bloodied monster.

Byron and Ella could be heard from upstairs, fighting as if she and Mike couldn't hear them. Mike had said the fighting had been going on since she left. The whole family had never been the same since the truth came out.

Mike had started becoming a vandal, having multiple run-ins with the cops when he was doing who know what with whoever. Byron went back into his smoking habits. He had quit when Mike was born but apparently now smoked and was more angered than ever. Ella had thrown herself into her work, whether it was painting or teaching. They all continued to treat Aria as if nothing had changed, but she knew deep down that she was reason for her family's corruption.

From the reflection on the mirror, a dusty picture frame caught her eye. Her parents apparently hadn't set foot in this room ever since she left and everything seemed exactly the way she would have left it.

Aria unfolded her legs and slowly stood up, padding over to her dresser to pick up the small frame. She hated it. Her smiling face. Her big eyes. The way she held herself up that just screamed confidence. And all of her friends surrounded her, all smiling also. This was just taken a year ago before the accident. Aria still had her disgusting pink stripes, which had her labeled as a goth or an 'emo' during school.

The picture sickened her.

With the surround sound volume of her parents fights and the taunting picture that was clutched in her shaking hand, it was all too much for her. Again, she didn't deserve what she had here now. She didn't want what she had now. It only made her feel more guilty because now people were 'accepting' what she did, like it was so small it's just forgivable.

The picture slipped through Aria's fingers and on to the hardwood of her floors. The glass shattered into minuscule pieces that littered the floor. It didn't faze Aria at all; she reveled in the sound of the breaking fragile glass and the clanking of the cheap plastic frame. She just plainly stood there for a moment or two, running her fingers anxiously through her chestnut tresses. The pads of her calloused fingers brushed against a shaved spot of hair by the back of her neck, making her eyes twitch. She could feel the small hairs growing over the messily stitched up wound from her 'operations'. Aria remembered the sick bastards at the place going so far as to cut her head open, still fully conscious.

The screaming from down the stairs soon subsided and the parents had gone to their respective, separate rooms. Aria, leaving the broken glass the way it was, grabbed her fake ID as many dollar bills as she could safely carry from her old black wallet that was placed on her desk. She slipped the money into her bra and quietly bounded down the stairs. She nabbed Ella's car keys from the hook by the door before stopping and remembering, she didn't know how to drive. And she didn't want to get the car demolished after she had gone where she was headed.

Aria placed the keys back on the hook and slowly opened the creaky door before slipping smoothly out.

The bar was generally quiet for a Friday night, besides the few college boys who eyes Aria as soon as she walked in. The inside of the place smelled of men's cologne and old beer. Some soft rock song she couldn't recognize was playing lightly in the distance and the lights were turned down low. Ignoring everyone and everything else, Aria knew that she badly needed something to ease her nerves and give her a sense of release, even if it meant consequences in the morning. Her nimble fingers gently pinched the bridge of her nose as she took a seat on one of the large stools and inhaled the scent of sweaty college boys.

"Can I get something for you, miss?" The bartender said as he wiped a small dish towel around the soggy table beside him. Aria, without hesitation, showed him her ID and gave him a twenty. She spoke with frustration in her voice.

"Anything, just something strong." To be honest, Aria had almost never drunken alcohol, it had driven her to do things she couldn't take back. But she was in desperate need of something to alleviate her constant pain and guilt.

The bar tender set down a few small glasses filled to the brim with an amber colored liquid. "Here you go." The man walked away nonchalantly to take more orders or clean up.

Aria picked up the first of four miniature glasses and tipped her head back before emptying the contents of the glass into her mouth. The alcohol burned her insides all the way down, and strangely, it excited her. The small buzz she got from that one glass made her crack a small, devious smile before dumping another small amount of the drink into her.

By the time she had finished all of them, she felt calm but also had a thirst for more. Thinking rationally for a few seconds before slipping back into her haze of drunkenness, Aria had ordered a beer, something lighter. She nursed the translucent brown bottle, staring off into the distance and eyeing all of the things plastered on the walls.

Everything seemed to be all gung-ho, Aria was nearly drunk enough to make out with one of the sleazy older boys eyeing her as she nearly drink her weight and let him take her home. She was slowly writhing in her seat to whatever rock song was playing around. It felt good to be this buzzed, for once in a long time, the one thing not at the front of her mind was all the guilt and emotions built up in her.

_Her room constantly reeked with the scent of grime and vomit. Most times, Aria would spend the day laying on the hard metal board of a bed and hoping to God she wasn't next. There were times in the sanitarium where the 'doctors' would roughly grab Aria from her constant fetal position and drag her to a common room type place and force her to sit with a bunch of other loons. There was one patient who she had made company with when they were forced into the cramped room. He was a boy about three years older than her, Elliot. His reddish blonde hair was shaved in some places and his face and arms were marred. __She didn't exactly find out about the operations until three days after her admission. _On the third day, he came in with his neck bloodied and stitched, claiming through motions that they had removed his vocal cords after he was screaming in his room about the injustice of the place.

_It was there and then that Aria learned to keep her mouth shut in there, and she would be fine for the time being._

_Aria had received her first operation about a week after Elliot. You could say that the doctors went easy on her that day, but easy wasn't exactly the way Aria would describe it. Like everyone else, she was uncomfortably strapped down on the table to ensure that you could not move. Beside the table was a small tray of sterilized needles, each with a slightly different colored injection inside them. About five doctors examined Aria like she wasn't even human; poking and prodding at her body as they stripped her, literally and metaphorically. The needles stung like a wasp sting and she could feel the liquid inside of her whole body, feeling as if the contents were sizzling her insides. The more she screamed, the more irritable the doctors became and how much more painful the operation became._

The night was one of the most stress free in her life until she heard a nearly sobering voice ring through her head. The voice was laced with confusion and concern.

"Aria?"

* * *

After Hardy had left, Ezra's mind would not stop bringing back Aria to his mind, no matter how hard he tried not to think about her. Hardy was right, this girl was toxic and it could never happen. Seeing her in school was inevitable but thinking about her, he just had to learn to not.

Searching desperately his fridge and cabinets for something stronger than Board Shorts Ale, Ezra just settled for going to a bar. He was in need of some fresh air anyway.

It was his typical bar, the one he went to on the weekends in college near the Hollis campus. The smell of strong alcohol and sweat from previous younger boys filled his nostrils the moment he stepped in. It wasn't exactly the cleanest bar, but at least their scotch was better than their hygiene skills.

He passed a few college boys who were all staring collectively at a tiny brunette girl sitting alone, multiple empty or half empty glasses littered around her. They all nodded and bumped each other as they smirked, which slightly disgusted him. Ezra took a seat one stool away from hers, eyeing the small amount of her he could get a glimpse of.

It wasn't until she turned her head fully to the side that Ezra could see who the girl was, Aria. What in the hell was she doing here?

"Aria?" He asked, leaning in a bit close to her as if his eyes were deceiving him. The girl snapped her head to look at him and her face wasn't one of shock, but as if he had startled her out of something. Her deep hazel eyes were glazed over, her soft cheeks were tinted with a pinkish hue and overall, she looked completely hammered.

This was bad, really bad. He came her to forget about her, and now she could be in potential danger with all these lurking older men. Aria kept staring at him with those empty eyes, she twirled around the quarter full bottle in her hand and tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face.

"E-Ezra?" She slurred, smiling a little as his name shook out of her. Hardy's wise words rang though Ezra's head. Talking to her and anyone he knew being here could get him fired. Hardy was right when he said he couldn't just jump into her life and expect to be able to help her. But It hurt to think about what those men could do to Aria if he just left. They would most likely take advantage of her from the satisfied, but vile looks they were giving her.

"Aria, what are you doing here?" Ezra said, clenching his teeth as he fought the urge to show any more signs of concern. Aria's drunken smile drooped and she focused her hazy eyes on the back wall.

"I needed something," Her voice caught at the last word. Aria took one large gulp of her drink, swallowing the rest of whatever alcohol was in her hand. Ezra turned back slightly to see that the highly immature boys remained staring at Aria as she downed her drink. He couldn't take it anymore, fuck everything. He was going for it.

"C'mon Aria, let's go." Ezra took her surprisingly cold hand into his. Her eyes stared up him incredulously, as if he was joking. He attempted to help her off her seat, which resulted in Aria nearly falling to the ground before Ezra caught her. She giggled drunkenly and loosely draped one of her arms around his neck as he helped her walk out. About halfway to his car, Aria dropped her head onto his shoulder and whispered incomprehensible sentences into his ears. He could hear the sound of her voice breaking and cracking as she spoke. Ezra only wished he could decipher what was coming out of her mouth.

The ride home was very uncomfortable for Ezra once he really took a toll on what was happening. His completely hammered, underage student was passed out in his car. He had no idea where her house was, and the only choice left for them was his apartment. As much as he hated that option and it built up a bad feeling in his conscious, it was his only choice.

The trip up the stairs was a complete other story. But once they reached his apartment, Aria was placed bridal style in Ezra's arms, still completely passed out. He hoped to every god there was that no one saw him carry his sleeping student into his apartment. The questions that would arise if anyone were to have seen that. Once in the room, he placed her gingerly in his bed and quickly decided not to give her new clothes, he already had enough guilt to live with for tonight.

Ezra was still confused and even more intrigued by this girl than ever. There was a horrible feeling inside him that these past moments would come back to bite him. He had practically kidnapped this girl and brought her to his apartment. This was wrong, illegal. He would surely be arrested immediately if anyone were to find out.

But it was already too late. He had an overwhelming feeling for this girl that he couldn't even describe. He had no idea what it was or how to deal with it. Who would have thought that Ezra Fitz would be the man to fall head over heels with his student?


	5. Chapter 5

**I know it has been awhile since I updated and I apologize. I took a week off because I just needed one after I finished Familiar Faces, and anyway, it was spring break so let me have that :). So, here is the next chapter, it's a little dark at first but the whole story is dark so whatever. Enjoy!**

_Aria felt her body pressed against the familiar metal board. Her arms bound by the wrist with the rough, worn leather straps. The cold air chilled her bare top half as she laid on the board alone in the room. The room smelled of dried vomit and slight scent of cleaning products, most likely a fruitless attempt to clean or disguise the ugly stench. It couldn't be possible; how was she back right where she started? Aria could not remember being taken back, it couldn't have happened. Was there a man hunt for her without her knowing?_

_The large, bright lamp in the room shined high above her, easily displaying and bringing attention to her exposed upper body. The rest of her body, from her hips down, was covered in a tattered, stained sheet. Loud footsteps were heard against the germ filled, tiled floors and a dark silhouette looked below at her, blocking the light from the lamp._

_"Ah, Ms. Montgomery, so glad to have you back in Ravenswood. You've been missed." The man's sickeningly sarcastic voice spoke. As Aria's eyes adjusted to the sudden lack of light, they focused on the doctor's face and his stone cold expression. Some of the light from the lamp reflected off of his thick framed glasses, putting a slight glint in his sunken grey eyes. "Too bad you had to try and fly away. Because of that, I had to clip your wings. But do not fret, my surgical training was impeccable." The doctor's hand clutched the dirtied sheet and ripped it from Aria's body. The doctor's hard expression changed to one of a sadistic smile as he observed Aria's prominent horror. Her legs were cut, chopped down the knees and sewed up to just stubs. She tried to scream, but the doctor immediately hushed her with his bloody, gloved hand._

_'Oh, come now, Ms. Montgomery. You don't want to end up like your friend Elliot, now do you?" He brought his hand down from her lips and reached above to the lamp. He adjusted it so it shone to the corner of the room. There, strapped into a chair in the corner, was Elliot, his throat slit and his mouth foaming; dead as a door nail. Aria tried to resist the urge to scream, to cry out. But she couldn't tear her eyes from his body, his mutilated, dead, body._

Her eyes shot open and flashed around the darkened room. The first thing Aria noticed when she shot up from her nightmare was that her head was as heavy as a bowling ball and she felt the strong urge to up chuck all over the bed she was laying in. The second thing was that she was not in her own bed. Hell, she wasn't even in her own house. She also realized it was still early in the morning as the memories of the following night flashed through her head. The last memories she could clearly recall was Ezra's voice ringing through her head before everything went back into the drunken haze.

She was about to scream, not knowing exactly where she was, before a man shot up from the couch, his face blocked in a dark silhouette. She tried to contain her breathing and back as far away as she could until she hit hard wall.

The silhouette flicked on the small lamp perched on the night side table, illuminating his face; it was Ezra. Aria was sleeping in her English teacher's bed.

Aria immediately groaned and covered her tear stained eyes with her arms at the sudden bright light. When her eyes adjusted slowly to the light, even against her head's constant pounding, she took her arm away from her face. The first thing her eyes were fixed on was her English teacher's toned chest. Ezra was only dressed in his boxers when Aria had shot up from his bed. He had no time to grab a cover up when he assumed she was moments away from having a panic attack.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly, reaching for her arm as she wound the blanket around her body even though she was fully clothed. He noticed her smeared makeup and wet cheeks an immediately became worried.

"Yeah, I think so." She croaked, she could feel the tightness in her neck as if she was about to cry, and her vomit making its way up her throat. "I just- what happened?" Aria placed a hand against her mouth to refrained from puking on her teacher, who was practically naked right next to her. Her mind still reeled from the night before and all the thinking made her mind hurt. Ezra sensed her discomfort and aching and before answering, stood up straight again and walked to the kitchen. The moment he turned around, the sound of rushed, heavy footsteps was heard behind him. He heard heaving and moaning sounds coming from the bathroom.

Disregarding the medicine and water, Ezra bolted to the bathroom, where Aria lay trembling against the toilet seat. He kneeled next to the small girl and swept her brunette hair to one side, gently holding it in a bunch with one hand and rubbing circles on her back with the other. They sat like that for awhile, with Aria's arms and head resting on the toilet seat as she awaited another round and Ezra, who patiently, but awkwardly half naked, sat by her side.

Once she was done, Ezra helped her up and back to the bed before going back to get some medicine. He poured two pills into his hand and grabbed a large glass of water before walking back over to where she was resting.

"I'm sorry," Aria rasped, her hazel orbs not daring to meet his. Ezra handed her the glass of water, which she gulped half of it down in a hurry.

"These will help make you feel better, and for what?" He poured the two small, white pills into Aria's hand, which she merely stared at, her face crumpling and draining of color. He didn't seem to get an answer until she soon gulped down the pills and shuddered, her eyes full of a different kind of pain as they met his for the first time in the night. He noticed how pale she looked, more pale than her usual fair complexion.

"For waking you up, for taking your bed and filling it with the retching scent of all the alcohol I drank, for burdening you tonight." Her head motioned to the clock by his bedside that read 6:05 in the morning.

"Trust me, it's not a problem. I saw the way those guys looked at you at the bar. I just didn't want you getting hurt." Ezra gave a genuine smile and got up from the bed before turning off the light. "You should get some more sleep, Aria." As he got up from the bed, Aria spoke up.

"Mr. Fitz? Do you think I can borrow some new clothing?" She asked, her voice slightly weakening. Nodding and without another word, Ezra had grabbed his smallest Hollis shirt and plaid pajama pants and handed them to Aria.

"I think after tonight you can call me Ezra. You know where the bathroom is." He chuckled, their hands brushing momentarily as he let go of the clothing. There was an odd silence before Aria got up from the bed and padded silently into the bathroom where she spent a portion of time before heaving up her lungs.

Aria began to strip the foul smelling articles of clothing off of her aching body. She stood in the middle of Ezra's highly illuminated bathroom, staring at her half naked reflection. The bright red thread of her stitches were still visible through her slowly binding skin. Aria also more closely observed the purple circles around her and the smeared eyeliner on her cheeks. After washing the inky stripes from her face, she quickly began to shove on the shirt and pants after she noticed the amount of time she was taking being in the bathroom, and how Ezra must have been getting suspicious.

"Here, I'll take those." Ezra said as he plucked the alcohol and puke scented clothing from Aria's arms and placed them into a wrapped plastic bag. "How are you feeling, Aria?" Not one single person had asked Aria that question since she arrived and hadn't expected her to fly off the handle. Everyone she came in contact with tiptoed around her like a land mine. Ezra didn't know what she did, he couldn't have. He was too kind to her and didn't treat her like a fragile doll or look at her like a monster. And if he didn't know already, he couldn't know, ever. The calm, pure atmosphere in the room gave her a sense of normality and non judgement. Even if she didn't deserve his hospitality, his kind, soothing voice and care, it felt nice for the time being. But she didn't deserve a single thing after what she had done and she was certain Ezra would not look at her the same if he found out.

"Better, a little." Aria pushed her hair from under the neck line of Ezra's shirt and went to sit on the bed. "But I don't think I'll be able to sleep. I still feel like shit." To be honest, she didn't want to sleep, not after the all too real nightmare. She wouldn't be able to bear another one of those without having to be in his arms, which was not an option.

Ezra merely blew air out of his nose with a smile and sat next to Aria on the bed, staring off into his darkened apartment. "Believe me, I've had my fair share of hangovers. I know what it's like." Aria couldn't even fathom the idea of Ezra drunk, he seemed too professional and gentleman like for that. But the thought did make her giggle. "Laugh all you want, but I'm telling you, it is not a pretty sight." Ezra laughed softly along with Aria as sunk into his arm, not because she was tired but because she felt safe around him. Finally she found someone who she could have a fresh start with without them having tainted thoughts about her. He felt warm and solid. The plaid flannel he had slipped on before smelled of cologne and his own manly scent; it was so inviting. For the first time since she arrived back, she felt completely safe. Even against her stomach and heads constant pounding. And her brain and conscience screaming in protest, she couldn't help but embrace the feeling of tranquility and security.

Ezra just sat still, sensing her calmness and relaxation as her head rested against his triceps. He had the strong urge to hold her against him; bury her into his chest and protect her against whatever demons she was facing. But he knew that would be wrong, she might react strangely and might not want to be held. Especially by her teacher whom she barely knew. He just plainly put his arm around her lightly and rested his hand on her side.

The silence was odd but slightly comforting for both of them. It gave them time to think about what had happened the previous night and how it led up to that very moment. It also gave Ezra time to realize how screwed over he was. Every second that passed hindered a new part of him that was immediately drawn to her. He couldn't describe the pull that he felt towards her. Maybe it was her mysterious air; the fact that she was an enigma all on her own. But he didn't know. All he did know was that he was way in over his head.

After a while, Aria collapsed on the bed, grumbling and moaning quietly in pain. She clutched her stomach lightly and buried her face into Ezra's cold pillow. She felt the bed buoy as he supposedly got off the bed. She couldn't go home like this, groaning and sick as a dog. But her parents, most likely just her mom, were probably frantic at where their daughter was. The last time she was out late was the night of was the night of the 'accident'.

When Ezra had returned, shaking Aria gently as his weight sunk in the bed, he had refilled her glass of water and made her drink it. He claimed it help with the pain and made the hangover itself shorter. Aria didn't notice any difference in pain when she finished and dubbed him as a liar for the time being.

She couldn't stay in his care forever. She had to leave before things between them crossed anymore lines than she had already just being there. It wouldn't do any of them any good if she stayed. She couldn't drag him into her hell of a world. She couldn't fill him will all of her woes and problems. She shouldn't have to rely on anyone, especially someone innocent, to seemingly take away her problems and make it all seem okay. Ezra didn't know anything about her. And that's exactly how Aria planned to keep it.

"Thank you for your kindness," Aria said, standing up on her uneasy legs and walking around his apartment to gather her cellphone and bag of clothes. "But I can take it from here." She looked away from Ezra, who stared at her incredulously.

"Are you sure? Do you need me to drive you home?" He asked, getting up again from the seat on the couch. He helped stabilize Aria as he noticed her slightly shaky steps.

"Yes, I'm sure. Thank you again, Mr. Fitz." Everything that had happened moments ago hadn't happened, she had to pretend it didn't. His expression mirrored one of a bit of hurt as she tried to break from his grasp.

"Okay," He breathed, still mentally making sure she was able to get to her house safely. "Please stay safe." He wished he could follow her, just make sure that she was alright when she reached her house. But again, it would only add to the list of illegal things he had done.

Aria silently nodded and without another word, walked out his apartment door, still dressed in his pajamas. As she made it to the staircase, her phone vibrated in her hand. She expected it to be another worried sick call from her parents or a text from her brother. But when she looked at the screen, it read from Unknown. Her heart nearly stopped as she read the message.

_Poor Aria, turning to your English teacher for comforting. Well, he's not going to want to coddle you after he knows what you've done._

_-A_

**So there you go! I hope you all enjoyed it! I took a scene from AHS in the nightmare scene so just to be clear with that. The nightmare in the beginning was not a memory, kinda obvious but incase you were confused. Again, I hoped you all liked it and do not forget to review!**


	6. Chapter 6

Her mom had been frantic since she noticed Aria had left. Ella was just about to call the police before Aria returned, clad in her teacher's pajamas, which Ella strangely didn't question. It was a possibility that Ella had thought it was Byron's clothes; the Hollis tee and plaid pants. He had been the most detached from the family anyway and maybe assumed Aria wanted a sense of familiarity from him in some form.

Mike had been worried too, but somewhat relieved for once. Everyone had been acting strange towards him again ever since Aria came back. He had just earned their respect back from him being the nutcase's brother. No one wanted to touch him with a ten foot pole once the news about Aria's arrest rapidly spread. It wasn't that he didn't want her back, it was just that he still thought of her as deranged.

Byron wasn't in the least worried, or even had a bit of care. He had drank and smoked his way into oblivion after his fight with Ella and was passed out in his office when Aria had returned home. He barely acknowledged Aria when he was either piss drunk at home or sober when he would arrive from Hollis. But why should she care about her family? They barely cared about her. They were the ones who allowed then to ship her off to the asylum and allowed those strange men to poke and cut open her body. It didn't matter now, did it? Ella was shocked to death when she saw Aria's sick body. She did all she could to nurse her back to nearly healthy when she returned. Besides, she had other things to worry about than her parents.

Even after a few days of getting that message from someone labeled A, she had no clue of who it was or how she was supposed to deal with this. She had gotten a few more taunting and teasing texts from the same alias over the course of the week. The person on the other end poked fun at her choices and brought up bad memories; things that no one should know.

Going to school on Monday turned to be a disaster. Ezra was there, of course, but more protective of her than ever before. Aria would catch him silently watching her from the hallways or sneaking looks at her in class. He hadn't called her back after class or spoke to her directly, but he was acting odd. There was something he was trying to say or wanted to say. But she made no move to talk to him, what happened days before shouldn't have. She shouldn't have leaned her body onto his and basked in the feeling of relaxation and safety. Ezra should have just left her there at the bar and let whatever would have happened then happen. The more she saw him, the more she dwelled on how dangerous it was, what they did. And how he could be arrested; how it would be her fault, again, like usual.

People were still scared of her. Everyday at school was exactly like the last; with stares burning her back and bits of whispered rumors floating through the air. There was no keeping her head up or thinking positively, she was past that, it didn't work. She and everyone else would just be setting themselves up for disappointment if they did just that. Aria was just glad to escape school each day. At the sound of the last bell, bounding to get her bag and rushing out the door. She was just glad to have survived day after day in that godforsaken town.

Most days she'd come back to an empty house until Mike or Ella came home. Byron had always home from work later than Aria remembered. Mike had said to her that Byron still had a relationship with Meredith, and not that Ella was clueless like last time, just that she didn't care anymore. The happy, picturesque family that used to be the Montgomery's was non existent. The essence of a family itself was hanging by a single thread. It was now some horrible, deceitful mess; a group of people only living in the same household because whether they believed it or not, they needed each other.

"Aria, honey?" Ella said, tiptoeing into her daughter's room and sitting down on her bed. Ella had been the only person in her family to show any form of love towards her. Although Aria knew Ella was still afraid and wary of her, and even if she didn't think she deserved it, it was comforting to have a sense of a mother's love; a pure and innocent feeling. "I think it would be best for you to see a therapist. Someone who can help you with whatever you are feeling. We know you went through a tough time."

What she was feeling? The cold hard feeling of regret and guilt burning inside her that just made her feel the need to end it all? Aria admitted to herself that she did need help. The asylum had driven her to do things that the Aria before the accident would never have the capability to do. But that part of her was taken over by a darker counterpart. She was no longer the girl who was horribly squeamish at the sight of her own blood and could barely sit through a slasher movie without cowering into someone's arm. Nonetheless basically living through one herself.

Maybe someone, a real therapist, could help. That's what they did right? That was their job. Even a person who didn't believe they deserved a second chance or was a lost cause from the start still had hope, right?

"Okay," Aria whispered. It was the only thing she said to her mother. She wrapped her sheets on her bed harder around her body as she stared nearly absentminded at the stitched patterns of the blankets. Ella patted her seemingly deranged daughter's knee and walked silently to the doorway.

"The appointment is in an hour, so be ready."

* * *

Dr. Sullivan was a tall woman with short cut hair and a soft smile, one to hopefully make her patients feel safe. It unnerved Aria a bit to see how delicately she was treating her, she just felt out of place in such a spacious and bright environment, much unlike Ezra's darkened, small, but comforting apartment or very unlike the asylum.

"So Aria, how had coming back to Rosewood been? I know you had a tough time over the past couple years." Dr. Sullivan sat in her large leather chair, a clipboard and pen in hand to jot down notes of what Aria would say. The therapist kept her eyes solely on Aria, only looking away to write down notes.

"It's been fine, surreal, but fine." Aria's answers were as bland as Dr. Sullivan's questions; asking how school was and if she reconnected with old friends or made new ones, overall avoiding the actual problem at hand with Aria.

"Aria, your mother informed me that you had been in solitary confinement for quite some time after what had happened. Do you want to talk about that?" Of course she knew what Aria did, her file was right in her arms. But did she really want to talk about it? Relive and describe every detail of what they did to her to someone who would just scribble it all down on a notepad and possibly just send her right back? She was crazy, but living proof of the torture people were exposed to. It was true that she wanted the place burned to ashes, the building itself and everyone inside of it. She dreamed of dismantling the establishment brick by brick. But what were the chances? If she were to show the world her scars, who would they believe? Trained doctors, psychiatrists, and nuns, or a helpless insane girl, trapped in her own mind and tainted by her memories? Who's to say the sick people working there would just take her back, saying her wounds were self inflicted and that she should return, seeing her very unstable condition.

"No, I have nothing to say." She stated, staring down at the carpeted floors of the room. Aria studied every square inch of the room, purposely avoiding Dr. Sullivan's stoic expression. Maybe she was right all along, no one could help her, not even the town's well known therapist. She didn't know what to say or what not to reveal about the place without saying things she shouldn't. The wrong thing could land her right back. It could make Dr. Sullivan peg her as insane and send her in a straight jacket back to Ravenswood.

Dr. Sullivan took a deep breath and studied her clip board before speaking again. "Would you like to talk about the accident involving-"

"No!" Aria knew exactly what she was going to ask, not wanting hear what she was about to say. As if on a cue, Elliot's smooth voice echoed in her mind, as clear as day.

_"C'mon, no ones in here just for the fun of it. Whatcha do?"_

That had been the only time she had repeated the crimes she had committed, and why she just wasn't in a regular jail. Even though she didn't believe the claims against her, they had proof, somehow they had proof she was mad. Repeating the things Aria scarcely remembered was terrible enough. Even just hearing something related to what had gone down made her almost instantly slip back into a dark place; an abyss of blurred memories and overwhelming guilt.

"That's okay," Dr. Sullivan scribbled a few more words on her notepad before standing up, keeping the signature straight face. "I think we are done here, Aria. I'll see you soon." She patted her patient's shoulder lightly and watched from her spot in the room as Aria solemnly walked out of her office.

Aria insisted to her mother that she should walk home, saying the air would be good for her. It didn't take much of a fight for Ella to say yes, under the conditions that she must call when she left Dr. Sullivan's office. Obediently, Aria rang her mother and told her she had just exited and was making her way home. It wasn't a very long walk home from the office. She had walked this same sidewalk when she was barely clothed and twig like, her first time breathing in fresh air and being outside in nearly two and a half years.

A few stray, browning leaves scuttled across her sneaker clad feet as she rounded the corner to her house. The familiar creaking of the old wooden steps sounded as she put her weight on them. From the doorway, she could hear shouting and yelling. Aria froze, her hand shaking as she seized her attempt to knock at the door. She heard her name loudly slurred from what sounded like her father's mouth. Before she could even take a step back, the lock was unhinged and the door quickly swing open, revealing Mike in a dark hoodie. He glared at her for a split second before bounding down the stairs and walking backwards, still facing Aria. She could see the angry, raging fire in his eyes from feet away.

"Don't follow me," He growled before dashing off in the opposite direction Aria came from.

**I wanted the reader's opinion on this. I have a whole flashback chapter already drafted about a large part of Aria's overwhelming guilt. It isn't the reason she was sent to the asylum, but it's a memory that she believes changed her into the person she is now. I wanted to know if you think it would be good to release it for the next chapter, or add another one before it. I'm not the best with pacing and I just wanted the audience's input! Thank you for reading this chapter and hopefully you'll review! I read and cherish each one so don't hesitate to leave one!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Ok, two chapters in two days! Can I get a hooah?! I know this one is a lot shorter than my usual, but it's a really good chapter besides the length of it. I can almost promise you that you will like it almost as much as I did writing it. Enjoy this important chapter and reviews are always appreciated!**

The asylum common room reeked of rotting food and vomit. The questionably hypnotizing classical music was heard playing softly through out the room. Every insane person was thankful that at least a few times a week, they were let out of their dark, infested rooms and able to "mingle" with others or do whatever they pleased. Aria and Elliot were probably the most grateful that they were able to see each other.

Aria sat in one of the creaky wooden chairs that at she expected to, at any moment, break into pieces under her nearly non existent weight. Elliot say across from her, making hands signals as he communicated. Since the inhumane operation on his vocal cords, he and Aria devised a way for him to talk with Aria without the use of his voice, obviously.

This day was not their usual conversation about what their previous experiments consisted of or how the people who ruled this place were obviously satanists, despite all the wooden crosses and Christian titles. For over a week, they had hatched the plan to escape and had been working on it ever since.

Elliot had told Aria about his previous attempts to escape, but left out the cruel punishments he received when caught, in fear she would back out of the plan. Both him and Aria had their fair share of scars, emotionally and physically but Aria was still a newbie to the place in his eyes; she was still afraid. Luckily, Elliot was able to pinpoint roughly where each guard would be at each hour based on his close watch on all of them. Being his fifth year there, he was accustomed to each guard and his or her rounds around the hellish sanitarium.

They had to wait until they were both assigned to work in the basement, where the laundry and other forced labor was done. That was where the underground emergency escape was placed. Fortunately, the following day, Elliot was assigned with Aria and two other inmates to work down in the dark, cold basement. But it was their closest place to freedom. Elliot learned the hard way that even in a place so barren and hellish, there was a glint if hope, if you were prepared to do some dirty work.

That following day, they were forced down the hard stairs by the guard and into the underground basement. They were ordered to wash and fold clothes 'until they said so'. But the guards didn't exactly watch the room, they didn't really have to. There was no place to escape that the other inmates knew about. They all assumed everyone there was already acquainted to the asylum's strict regimen. The only inmate to ever cause a large ruckus was Elliot, who the men saw as tamed after the hasty removal of his voice box and vocal cords.

Elliot and Aria faced each other at opposite tables as they simultaneously drenched shirts in the barely clean water and passed them to the inmate beside them for hanging and folding. The four criminals worked silently, the only sound in the room being the sloshing of water and the wet slapping sound of the clothing against the metal boards.

When the time came, on Elliot's silent signal, Aria took the shirt she was wetting and twisted it up. When the inmate beside her was busy hanging the wet clothes, she tied the damp shirt around the persons mouth and nose. There was light screaming and thrashing involved for the both of them until Aria heard a loud bang from Elliot's side. Following his actions, Aria grabbed the knot of the shirt behind the person's head and forced his head down hard against the metal table. A puddle of crimson blood began to form around the criminal's head as it collapsed against the hard ground. Aria was nearly shocked out her mind at what she had done until Elliot grabbed her wrist, a crazed look on his face, and ran with her towards a large rack of plastic containers. Elliot pushed aside the rack and there stood the door. He tugged on the handle roughly until it opened with a loud creak and dragged Aria down the long, dark hallway.

They could both hear the yelling and hollering of the guards behind them as they bolted down the narrowing hallway. The guards footsteps became louder and louder as both Aria and Elliot became weaker, their tired limbs close to giving out. Elliot opened a door to a boiler room nearby and slipped inside, his hand still weakly holding Aria's wrist. Her survival skills kicked in before Elliot was able to fully get her in. The clashing of the shoe soles against concrete became louder as the guards came closer. Aria grabbed the handle to the door and yanked her wrist from his grasp. She could see Elliot's shocked and betrayed face as she forced the door close as loudly as she could, whispering her apologies as she did. With all the strength she had left, she ran to the farthest door and hid inside, she could hear both guards stopping by Elliot's door and forcing him off of his tired appendages. Yes, Elliot was no saint. He had murdered his siblings but was kept out of jail because of his antisocial disorder, which had driven him to commit the act unemotionally. But that didn't mean it was okay to betray him. He was her only friend in that godforsaken place. Knowing she could do something like that without a second thought scared her.

Aria could feel the hot tears running down her face as she heard the shouting and sounds of footsteps fading. Even though she hated to do that, hated to be betray him and leave him there. It was what she had to do. But now she was all alone, she didn't know her way around the underground like he did. She'd surely be discovered missing and found before she could fully escape.

So with a heavy heart, Aria stumbled up and out of the closet she had hid in. She silently walked down the long, dark hallway. The overwhelming sounds of what had happened ricocheted through her brain as she walked. She came back into the laundry room. The unconscious and most likely dead bodies they had left were collected and the room was empty with the faint sound of a humming machine. Aria stepped up the stairs and stumbled defeatedly back into the common room. A few crazed eyes landed on her but most were focused on whatever it was they were doing. No guards were in the room, but she could hear screaming coming from outside the thin walls of the common room

Aria took a seat in her usual chair, slumping her head against her arm and the wooden table as more tears slid down her dampened cheeks. It hadn't occurred to her until then that she had been at fault for killing someone, only this time, she remembered it as clear as day. The dark red blood forming around the head and the pained, shocked look on the person's face as they struggled on the ground. The sight of the person's face turning a light blue as they fought to get a bit of air back into their body. Even though it felt like a lifetime that Aria spent staring at that body, it had only been a few short seconds until Elliot snapped her back into reality, reminding of the plan; her only chance of getting out. It hadn't occurred to her until then that the people she and Elliot both killed had lives. They weren't just cold blooded criminals. They had experiences, thoughts, feelings, good and bad memories just like everyone else did. And she was the reason that they didn't have a second chance of living like she and Elliot did back then.

Suddenly, sound of loud buzzing was heard through the room, louder than usual. But no screaming like usual came from the room one away from them. Everyone in the common room froze or ceased from making sound, like they knew what was going on. A few shocked looks were shared and the smell of almost burning meat wafted into the room. Only one patient would not have the power to scream or shout while being exposed to that form of torture, and to the extent to which it was being given.

It was safe to say that Elliot didn't come back to the common room the following day, or the one after that. And it was safe to say that Aria was fully responsible for it.


	8. Chapter 8

More screaming and shouting ensued after Mike had left the scene. Aria hadn't even stepped a foot inside the house but she felt as if she was right next to her parents from the volume of their shouting. She was still stricken at the edge of the small porch from her brother and his suddenly hostile behavior. Aria had never remembered seeing that kind of fire in his eyes; the burning hatred in his expression as he stared her down.

Aria hesitantly pushed open the door little by little, desperately hoping her parents wouldn't notice her arrival.

"Ella! Come back here! We aren't done!" Her father boomed. Byron had never yelled like that, and he almost never yelled at all. But Aria could tell from his slightly slurred words that he was hammered, the usual since she had returned back home. Before Aria could even attempt to escape upstairs, Ella came storming into the front room, an exasperated look on her face. Her expression didn't change as she saw Aria fearfully cowering near the door.

Without a word to her daughter, Ella shoved open the door and left, slamming it in her wake. That only seemed to fuel the drunken, angry fire in Byron's heart as he came barreling down the hallway, nearly empty Jack Daniels bottle in his hand. It had been around a week that Aria had seen her father face to face. He either had his back turned to her, or avoided her completely. The circles under his eyes were almost as dark as her's were. His cheeks were shaded with a pinkish hue and unevenly covered in scratchy, grey hairs. His facial expression mirrored one of equal or greater rage to that of Ella's.

"You," He slurred, his grey-blue eyes fixing intensely on hers. He raised a shaking finger in Aria's direction and clutched the transparent bottle harder in his hand. "You're the reason this family fell apart. You're the reason your mother will barely look at me." His voice seemed to soften but his eyes still shown vengeance. Gulping, the drunken man smashed the whiskey bottle against the wall, sending shards of glass and drops of amber alcohol flying. Aria screeched and ducked for cover as she felt a sharp piece of glass scrape her cheek and arms.

Before she could register what was going on, Aria felt a strong tug on her jacket and soon saw that her father's face was inches from hers. Byron had her jacket in a death lock as he held his miniature daughter up in the air. Byron pressed the jagged spikes on the opposite side of the bottle against Aria's neck, just hard enough to pierce a bit of skin. Aria winced and quietly cried out as she felt the sharp glass dig into the sensitive skin of her neck. Byron breathed raggedly as he tried to keep his focus on his daughter.

"This is for all you've done to this family. It is a shame to have to call you my daughter." He took out the glass that had entered her skin and held the bottle up over his head, ready to shove it down into her body. Before he could the finish the violent act of stabbing his daughter, Aria instinctively slammed her knee into his groin. Byron groaned loudly and fell to the floor, dropped the remaining half of the bottle and sending more glass onto the ground. He desperately tried to grip Aria's waist to keep her from escaping, but she was too quick. She was already sprinting down the road by the time Byron could fully stand up.

Aria didn't know where she was going, but running till her sides ached just seemed like a natural thing now. Her mind still reeled from her father's drunken outburst and her whole family's hostility. She was still a criminal in their eyes, she always would be. As long as they knew she was guilty, there was no way her reputation could be clean. Her crimes were irreversible, the information of the things she did would forever be on resumes for jobs and her permanent records. She had basically ruined her life for good. Aria didn't blame everyone for being so harsh, though. She didn't deserve to leave that place. She didn't deserve to escape and be free after what she had done, the multiple acts she had committed.

A safe place to land finally came into Aria's mind as she sprinted down the roads of Rosewood. Even though she vowed to not drag this person into her problems, they made her feel safe, secure. The feeling she was given was ecstatic, like a drug. Even though it was dangerous, getting a sense of freedom back, she couldn't stop herself. Aria ran to the only place she knew she could be protected for a little while.

She sprinted to the familiar apartment complex. The one she had slept in and been nursed back to health in by her English teacher. He was a good guy. He didn't need to be wrapped up in her troubles, but she had no one else to run to. Once she had stopped in front of the door, she could feel the drops of blood and tears streaming down her face and neck. Aria hadn't even noticed she had been crying until she stopped in front of the apartment. Her mind constantly replayed the past few traumatic moments in her mind, blocking her from thinking about anything else. The sight of her own blood uneased her and she quickly wiped it off with her fingertips. She tried to calm down her breathing before knocking on Ezra Fitz's door. She lightly rapped on the old wood before stepping back, not knowing what he would do when he saw her.

Aria jumped from the intensity of which Ezra unlocked and swung open the door. There was a certain wave of something she'd never seen on his face before the moment she saw him. He quickly snarled a 'what?' before even fully focusing on who was on the other side of the door.

"Aria?" He said softer as soon as he saw her. He examined her from afar as he noticed her blotchy, tear stained face and slightly bloody cuts on the visible skin. The way he scared her, she looked like she was just about to bolt like a frightened kitten. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" Of course she was hurt. She was currently bleeding from at least three different parts of her body. He held out his hand as a gesture to calm her on-edge nerves.

"I-I didn't know where else to go, I'm sorry." She whispered as she looked up to stare into his baby blue eyes, which were now filled with more concern than frustration. His expression eased even more at her words and he stepped aside to let her in.

"Please, let me help you with your cuts," he all but begged. The room was exactly like she remembered as she stepped in, with the same calming atmosphere and the same attractive, kind hearted English teacher. Ezra led her over to the bed to sit down and rummaged clumsily through his closet and bathroom cabinets to find bandages and antiseptic. He kept his eyes on the label of the bottle of rubbing alcohol as he came back over, not wanting to meet Aria's large, pain filled eyes.

"What happened, Aria? Did someone hurt you?" He was aching to know what had happened to her. She didn't seem too banged up, which relieved him, aside from the few tiny bleeding cuts, but she looked frightened out of her wits. Ezra soaked a part of a tissue with the alcohol and gently pushed back Aria's hair to gain full access to her neck. His hand brushed her face and shoulder and he swore he heard a slight, sharp intake of breath from her. His own heart hammered against his chest as he began to dab the product against her cuts to clean the wound.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." He murmured repeatedly as Aria winced and whimpered when the alcohol came in contact with her open cuts. He quickly place a bandage over her neck and repeated the acts on her arms and forehead. With them being in such close proximities, they could hear each others nervous breathing and sense the other person's uneasiness.

"Okay," Ezra breathed, backing away from Aria and sitting on the edge of the bed. "What happened? Why are you all cut up?" Aria gripped the soft comforter in between her fingers and focused on her dirtied up boots. Did she really want to discuss this with him? What would his reaction be to hearing about her suddenly abusive father? Aria didn't even know where to start. Let alone how to explain anything to this man; this man who she barely knew.

The only things she knew about the man sitting across from her was that he used to get drunk in college, and that he was off limits, romantically. Not that Aria wanted a boyfriend. Like every other form of happiness, she didn't deserve to get a fairy tale ending with someone who she loved. If she took away more than one persons chance at their own happy ending; why should she get hers?

"My dad, he- flew off the handle... Broken bottle..." She rambled distractedly. Aria made elaborate hand movements to demonstrate a stabbing to her neck. She didn't think she could say anymore than that without giving things away. But the message seemed to get across to Ezra from the shocked and horrified look on his face. His eyebrows were narrowed and his eyes showed concern and shock. His mouth was slightly agape as he tried to form the right words.

"Aria, has this ever happened before?" It seemed like an appropriate question. Had that abuse ever gone on before? Is that why she always looked so damaged?

"No. It was the first time he ever expressed violence towards me." She constantly kept her eyes on the hardware floor of his apartment, swaying her skinny legs absentmindedly. "But I deserved it." Ezra was now even more appalled. "He was right when he said I ruined everything. He should have done it."

"Done what, Aria?"

"Killed me." Her fingers grasped the blanket beneath her tighter and she met Ezra's gaze, her eyes ablaze with depression and woe. No one spoke after that. Ezra was at a complete loss for words after hearing her confession. Aria on the the other hand was shocked at what she blurted out; the regret was apparent on her paling face.

Ezra moved from his position on the end on the bed to next to Aria. It didn't seem ethical to be doing what he was, but that entire situation was messed up. He wrapped his arms around her protectively and sat against the dark walls of his apartment, holding her tightly to his chest. "No, Aria. Don't you ever think that."

She was surprised by his sudden affection, pulling her closer to him. It didn't feel forced, he gave her enough space to maneuver her way out if she felt suffocated, but held her tight enough to feel secure. After a while of their bodies so close, she rested her head against his sternum, listening to the loud beating of his heart. The only sounds surrounding them was their own breathing and the quiet sounds of birds squawking from outside.

She eventually tangled herself to him, curling her arms around his strong bicep and leaning in closer. She tried to fight back all the regret. As much as she tried to stay away from him, keep him out of her life and not put him in harms way, it was hard. She didn't want to hurt him; she did not want to see this perfect man become corrupt by her. But the feeling he gave her was so euphoric. If only there was a way to keep him completely oblivious and out of danger. But she was the danger; trouble lurked where ever she went. And the only way to keep him safe was to keep him away from her; she had to save him from herself.

Out of the blue, Ezra tilted Aria's chin to face him. Their faces were as close as before, but this time it wasn't so awkward. It didn't feel so alien to be in such close range to his lips. After a few moments of staring into each other's eyes, Ezra leaned down and pressed his soft lips against Aria's slightly chapped ones. Aria was surprised for the moment as she felt this older man's lips on hers. Soon, after gripping his arm a bit tighter and leaning into him deeper, Aria attempted to kiss him back. She hadn't kissed many boys even before or after the accident; she honestly didn't know what she was doing. Ezra slowly brought his hands down to Aria's waist to steady her. The kiss was electrifying for the both of them. The tension between them seemed to diminish with each second their lips were interconnected. The kiss only lasted about ten seconds before Ezra pulled back, suddenly distraught that his still reluctantly residing teenage hormones took the best of him.

"I am so sorry, Aria. I don't know why I did that." That was completely inappropriate on his part. Kissing her had been a mistake, even when it didn't feel like one, morally, it was. Even though for that few seconds it felt so right, they both knew they was horribly mistaken. Why did he have to be older, and her teacher? Why did she have to be so fucked up?

Aria bolted from his grasp, backing up against the nearest wall. She curled one hand into her hair while the other laid limply by her legs. "We can't do this. You could get fired, or worse." Her large hazel eyes fixed on the wood of his floors again. Ezra knew she was right. Of course they couldn't, but he wanted to. He cared way too damn much about this girl. After seeing her hurt like this, he couldn't let her slip through his fingers to get hurt again.

"I know."

"And you can't get involved with me in any way. Tears started to brim Aria's eyes. Too many emotions were hitting her at once; ricocheting and yelling in her mind. "Not just because of the law. I'm dangerous, Ezra. I don't want you getting sucked into my screwed up life and I can't see you get hurt." Ezra slowly got off the bed and sauntered over to her. He resisted the urge to grab her hand or rest his palm against her arm to calm her. She still looked panicked from what he did. Ezra was just plain confused. What did she mean that she was dangerous? She acted like skittish kitten around everyone. After no words came out of Ezra's mouth, Aria spoke up again.

"I have to go. It was a mistake coming here." She gave him one last broken look. Her words made him recoil a bit as if she had punched him. His heart ached for him to pull her back as she rushed to the door, but he had to respect her wishes.

He watched silently from his doorway as Aria hauled herself out of the apartment building, to wherever she planned to go. Even though it was out of his hands, he hoped and prayed she didn't get hurt again.

**Wow, I can't believe this is the eighth chapter. I know you all are aching to know what Aria did to end up in Ravenswood, and you _will_ find out within the next 4-5 chapter minimum. Okay, are you guys still interested in this story? Cause the first chapter got at least 12 reviews and now I'm getting 5 or less per chapter. Please, please continue to review because those fuel me to continue writing. If no one reads it, what's the purpose of writing it? Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter and stay tuned for the next!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, sorry this update's a little late. I've been up to my eyeballs in test prep and studying for my state testing which is this Monday. I have barely any time for updating and writing in general. By the end of next week, things should be back to normal because testing will be over, but The next update after this may not be until Wednesday the earliest. Again, I'm so sorry and I hope you understand!**

She couldn't go back home. Her ballistic father would murder her the moment he had the chance; sober or not. Mike was probably still out vandalizing buildings or stealing whatever wasn't bolted down from stores. Her mother would still be out. At a motel or whatever, just to get away from Byron. She couldn't return home, it was too dangerous. After leaving Ezra's apartment after the kiss, she spent countless moments walking aimlessly, just hoping she'd find something.

It would have been a good time to just run away. Run away and never come back. She could start a new life and just begin again on a clean slate. No one in another state or even country would know what she did just by her face, right? Her family and 'friends' wouldn't miss her if she did. Hell, they'd probably throw a party hosted by her own father. Rosewood would once again be rid of the reason the town went to shit. Ever since news spread about Aria, the city had never been the same. It was more secretive and quiet than ever; trying to gain its reputation back as a prestigious and welcoming town. The welcome sign at the entrances to the town deemed as false truth.

Aria had decided, after what seemed like hours of walking and thinking, just to lay low that night. Doing something drastic like running away would require much more planning than she had the energy to. Aria finally found an old looking alley way between a jewelers and a karate dojo. It was ratty, but she was used to that. She had spent longer than she thought at Ezra's, it was darkening out. The moon was just slightly peeking out of some clouds off the horizon. The dark, navy blue sky was taking over and wiping away the dusk. Aria slunk down against the brick wall of the building behind her. She soon flopped against the dirt in defeat, dirtying her cheeks and clothes up.

She shifted on to her back and laid there for a while, watching the small twinkling stars reappear in the night. Watching the blinking airplanes fly across the sky that she used to believe were shooting stars as a child. She just laid there, counting the millions of stars that just existed like she did. With no real purpose but just to explode eventually. There are millions, billions, of people in the world just like the infinite amount of stars, losing one of those balls of burning matter didn't matter, did it? More would just come along to take its place.

The sound of a car tires screeching against the road and an engine running was heard in the distance. Aria noticed that a large black Escalade had pulled up in front of the alley way.

"Aria?" The voice from inside the car called. Aria whipped her head up from the ground and met eyes with Spencer Hastings, who had her head poking out from the driver's window of her car. "What are you doing?" Spencer opened the car door and climbed out of the large vehicle, walking up to Aria quickly. "Why are you all bandaged up and dirty?" Spencer licked the pad of her thumb and began smudging the patches of dirt from Aria's cheeks and examining the bandages with spots of blood able to be seen. It occurred to Aria that she felt more comfortable sitting in the lap of a stranger and telling him what happened than she did telling her old friend. Really showed how only a few years can change a person, or a relationship.

When Spencer didn't get an answer, besides Aria's eyes meeting her scratched up boots, she took Aria's hand began to drag her to the car. "In, I'm driving you home." Even though it didn't look like it was up for discussion, Aria refused to get in the car.

"I can't go home." Aria just looked like a sad little puppy that had been kicked too many times. The light of the moon shimmering overhead brought attention to the tracks of tears on her cheeks and under her dark, puffy eyes.

Spencer didn't dare ask why, all she did was hold Aria's hand as she jogged her to the passenger seat and all but forced her in. "If we're not going to yours, we're going to mine." She said as she closed the door with a loud slam. Spencer locked the car door as Aria tried to scramble out, a more fearful look on her face. She revved the engine as she got into her side and began the drive back to the Hastings' household.

The house was just as Aria had remembered it, standing tall in all it's glory. The hauntingly familiar barn in the backyard was still standing beautifully, now converted into a loft as Spencer said as she noticed Aria's staring. Spencer led Aria back to her room, where she gave her fresh clothing and set a place to sleep. The two girls awkwardly sat on Spencer's bed as Spencer brushed through Aria's knotty hair. The two girls did not utter a word to each other the entire time, both feeling the awkwardness of it all. It didn't feel like a regular sleepover that the two girls would have years ago. With gossip and doing each other's makeup while being inexperienced; leafing through trashy magazines like Cosmopolitan and prank calling department stores. Neither of them were talking and they had to be quiet, as to not bring Peter and Veronica's attention to them.

"Aria," Spencer said quietly. She placed the brush down and leaned her back against the table. "I know that you don't want to be friends. I got that from the way you ice everyone out during school. But here are some things that I need to clear up."

"There's nothing that you need to clear up. We both know the truth." Aria whispered defensively. She crawled to the end of the bed and hung her feet from the frame. "And anything related to that topic is off limits for conversation."

"Aria-"

"That's the end of it. We both know what I did. The whole town knows I'm a criminal. It's in print if you want to check my record. Anything else we need to establish?" Spencer has froze against the table. She was silent for a moment but still engaging in a heated stare down between her old friend.

"No, your right. Forget what I was about to say." She glanced at the clock on her bedside table and sauntered over to the bed. "Goodnight, Aria."

LINE

Aria remained nearly restless the entire night. Spencer laid a respectful amount if space away from Aria, which she was thankful for. But she was still facing her, her trap wide open and her eyes closed shut. The hours ticked by and Aria stayed lying straight ahead, staring out Spencer's unshaded window at the open night sky. She contemplated bolting from the house from out that same window, but decided against it. Things were so awkward, it just seemed like second nature to bolt from the scene.

She deeply questioned Spencer's acts of kindness that night. From picking her up, dusting her off and bringing her to the house without a second thought, why was she being so nice to her? After all of what Aria did, why was Spencer acting like she wanted to still be friends with her? It wasn't like her to not hold a grudge.

After what felt like an eternity of listening to Spencer's sleeping breaths, Aria let the tiredness in her body take over her. She fell silently against the pillows and slipped into a familiar state of unconsciousness.

Spencer had awoken it the early hours of the morning, not too long after Aria had fallen asleep. She observed the small girl's peaceful sleeping face and smiled lightly to herself. Even after going through hell, she still managed to look beautiful. Standing up quietly as to not wake her, Spencer walked to the bathroom to get ready for school. It was hard enough looking in the mirror everyday, pretending like the night two years ago didn't happen. The shame she felt hanging over her like a storm cloud. Now she had the girl in her bed sleeping like a baby. The night just seemed like how should be if it never happened. The sense of normality having Aria back in her room, having a 'sleepover' if that counted as one.

Spencer gently shook Aria awake and laid out some of her own clothes on the bed for her. Last night was the very least she could do for her. The girls stayed unspoken while they got ready in Spencer's room. Aria was extremely anxious about changing and insisted she dressed in the bathroom. They were no longer the friends they used to be, they both had to reminds themselves of that. The first time they spoke to each other or said something at all was when they went downstairs, where Mrs. Hastings sat drinking her coffee. The older woman's face showed shock as the two came downstairs and Aria's face filled with fear.

"Aria," She began. For an strict and undefeated lawyer, she was sure tongue tied now. "I had no idea you were back." Aria's face continued to lose color and she nodded weakly.

"Yeah, I'm back," She stammered. Spencer could see her visibly shaking and gripping the baggy jean pockets at her sides. There was a silence between the three before Spencer ushered her mother out of the room, mumbling something to her before returning back to her old friend.

"I'm sorry, I was under the impression that she had left for work." Aria just nodded again, returning to her mute stage. The whole rest of that morning, lasting about half an hour, constipated of head bobs for answers and unspoken awkward silenced before they had to go to school.

Aria's first class begrudgingly had to be English with Mr. Ezra Fitz. It also had to include her three ex best friends into the mix, which made it all the more unsatisfactory. Ezra seemed tense when Aria came in, unshaven and tired looking. He taught class like normal, but things seemed off. He seemed distracted, constantly trailing off or staring at something in the back and totally losing focus. It was apparent that everyone was taking notice of this. Whispers from various students filled the room as he wrote assignments on the board and rambled about Gatsby. Ezra kept sneaking glances at Aria, his mouth gaping like a guppie as he spoke and hoping no one would catch on to his staring.

When the bell finally rung, signaling their rotation, Ezra half assed a farewell to his students and walked to his desk. Where he buried his head in his hands and stared down at the leather covering on his desk.

Aria watched from the exit of his classroom as he ran his fingers through his dark brown curls angrily and shot up to prepare for his next class. Their eyes met for a split second as he stood up before Aria rushed out of the room. The last thing she would let herself do was fall deeper in those baby blue eyes.

**Wow! I had nearly 15 reviews on just the last chapter! Please keep that up because it really fuels me to write more even if my schedule is off the walls! Thank you guys so much for being the best readers! **


	10. Chapter 10

**I'm actually proud of myself for getting this done today. I was stuck on this chapter because I had a plan for it, but I noticed some major flaws so I had to change it up. Again, I'm sorry for the long delay, but at least it's done today! Enjoy!**

Aria sat in Dr. Anne Sullivan's office, anxiously tapping her foot on the carpeted floors. She wholeheartedly regretted taking up her mothers offer to go to this therapist. It wasn't just that she thought she couldn't be helped, she didn't want to be helped. She had seen a therapist before. The one in the Ravenswood asylum. But she'd hardly call him a real therapist. He was harsh, horrendously religious, and judgmental, he one of the many people that were unfazed by the cruel conditions of the asylum. Aria would be forced to talk to him, as would everyone. He would say that the forgiveness of The Lord would cleanse their sins and set them free of the shackles of guilt. Aria believed it was bullshit. It wouldn't help, nothing he said ever worked. Even so, would be a lie to say that Aria didn't try praying forgiveness after betraying Elliot. After sentencing him to death and after she and him killed those two inmates by smashing their heads. That place changed her, it corrupted her mind and cleared out any purity. Instead of helping her realize her mistakes, it just made her make more.

She didn't deserve to live without a care like she did before the accident. She didn't deserve to be happy again after she took the lives of those people. Aria denied the right to believe she should be able to live.

Dr. Sullivan sat across from Aria in her large leather chair, clipboard and pen in hand. She tried, ineffectively, to pry open Aria and get her to talk. It was only there second session, but she was determined to get something out of her. Alas, her patient was tight lipped and stubborn. She had the right to anyway. It wasn't like Dr. Sullivan would force her into saying anything she didn't want to, that wasn't allowed in her position.

The seconds and minutes ticked by as Dr. Sullivan tried to talk to Aria. She hoped to hinder a part of her patient that would make her want to talk. But the walls around Aria only seemed to become higher. She would make up mundane excuses to her therapists questions or simply say she didn't want to talk about it. That continued for half an hour between silences and the sound of a pen gliding roughly across a clipboard.

Aria continued to stare at the potted plants that were perched on shelves next to Dr. Sullivan's head. Looking out the large window at the city was also used to pass the time.

"Aria," Dr. Sullivan said. Aria picked her head up from the ground to meet the doctor's steely eyes with her own. "It seems that are time is up, but there's something I need to say." Aria plainly nodded and started to stand up as Anne did. "I noticed you look thinner and more tired than when we last met, and I'm concerned. Next time we see each other, I want to see an improvement in those areas. Even in the slightest bit." She didn't wait for Aria's response and turned to lead her back into the waiting room. Ella sat in the room, leafing through a trashy magazine with a still sullen face.

The ride to Ella's apartment was silent. She had rented one after her unofficial divorce a few months after Aria left for Ravenswood and currently Mike and Aria were also living there, leaving there estranged father on his own. It was a miracle he was still employed by Hollis.

Mike was still having run in's with the cops for vandalism and break ins. The police station has become accustomed to taking Mike Montgomery into custody every so often for whatever new crime he had committed. And he was not one bit happy to see that Aria had taken shelter in Ella's tiny space.

Mike scoffed as Aria entered the apartment with an emotionless Ella and went to his 'room' with a slam to the door. Ella locked the door behind her and went to the tiny kitchen to retrieve a bottle of red wine from the cabinet. She leaned on the counter, staring straight at Aria with a glass filled to the brim in her hand.

"There was a time when this family was whole. When we weren't fighting silent battles." She muttered, her darker hazel piercing her daughter's. Her words hung in the air, creating a serious aura.

"I'm sorry, Mom." Aria whispered barely above the volume of audible, but Ella seemed to get it as she placed the glass down and walked over to her tiny daughter. They were both the same five foot two stature, but Ella was wearing heeled boots, giving her a bit of height. She wrapped her arms around Aria and held their heads against each other.

"It's not entirely your fault. So don't take all the guilt and blame. We all played a part in this. Mike for going into crime, your father for cheating and drinking heavily, you doing... You know. And me not doing anything to stop it. I let you go as I did Mike and Byron, but you seem to be the only one willing to forgive me a bit." Ella's voice always seemed to strike a chord with Aria. Her voice was always soothing and soft. It made her feel like a little girl again, trapped safely in her mother's embrace as she spoke to her.

It shocked Aria a bit at how understanding Ella was now. It was a wonderful feeling to just be accepted by her mother. It was now one less person she had to be stared at. Honestly, it had been awhile since she last smiled for real, but now she couldn't stop. Aria wrapped her stringy arms around her parent and hugged her close, resting her head in the crook of her neck. "I love you, Mom." She whispered, the words coming out croaky.

"I love you too, Aria."

Ezra sat on his couch nursing a tumbler of amber colored scotch. It was a nasty habit, binge drinking, but he did it anyway. The past few days had been a wreck. He could not stop thinking about Aria and hating the person he was for doing so. She was like an infection. It was horrible and crazy to think that she would love him back. He hated himself for letting his schoolboy crush get this far. But she was all he ever thought about since that kiss. Those moments that she laid in his lap, for once looking so relaxed while simultaneously wrecked. It made his heart beat like crazy knowing he was capable of that. Ezra knew that her home life wasn't the best after she ran for shelter in his apartment, but he was just glad that he lived in a place that she could run too.

Ezra could not remember a time where he cared about a person more than he did now. He wasn't one for much sentiment anymore when it came to people. It felt odd to have an obsession like this over someone like her. It was crazy, he knew it, but he loved it. He loved her.

All Ezra wanted to do was show her out of the pain and suffering she felt. He noticed her decrease in weight and was startled in her lightness when she was curled up on him. He could tell by the lack of optimistic emotion in her eyes that she was not doing well and he continued to notice more scar like lines covering her arms, though she did an impressive job hiding them.

Ezra was aching to know more, absorb as much information about her and just love her. He wanted nothing more than to just care for her and show her that someone loves her. Although it was illegal for him to do just about everything he wanted to do with her, none of it included sex, part of him just didn't give a shit. His heart wanted what it wanted. The only thing that would get him to stop is if she told him no. Under no circumstances would be pressure her or put her in a position that made her uncomfortable. Love is a two way street.

Unfortunately for him, Hardy had made his way into Ezra's apartment before he had the chance to swallow his first sip of whiskey. He was currently sitting in the seat across from Ezra, watching his own friend drink up his sorrows when he didn't even know what his problem was. Hardy was drinking too. Honestly, when wasn't he? Just not as heavily as Ezra.

"Okay dude, what the hell is your problem." Hardy said as he watched Ezra pour his third glass. "I haven't seen you drink so much since college." Ezra didn't answer, instead just emptied more alcohol into his stomach. Hardy asked again and again, only to be met with Ezra's eyes focused on the turned off television screen. After growing too impatient, he ripped the glass from Ezra's hand and forced him to look on his direction. "Answer me. I know you can hear me."

Ezra stared him down before relenting and answering him, knowing he was in for a good half hour of lecturing. "The girl in my class, we kissed."

Hardy's eyes shut and stayed shut for a while. His teeth bared in a grim, annoyed expression. When his dark brown eyes opened, they stared straight at him and shook his head. "What the hell, Ezra. It's like everything I say goes in one ear and out the other with you!" Ezra just rolled his eyes and tried to get up, but nearly tripped as the alcohol started to take effect on his motor skills.

"Ezra, listen to me, I'm all for going after younger women but you're basically digging your grave. You can't be with this girl, ever. I can already tell that she is danger for you and your job. If the school board found out about your little rendezvous, you'll be finding yourself on the unemployment line." Ezra continued to say nothing as he stood up. He just let Hardy ramble about what he thought was right. Yes, he could get fired if people found out. He could get his teachers license revoked for a while. He could even go to jail, but that was okay, maybe not the jail part, but it was okay. She was almost 18. There were other places he could work. If she wanted to, they could do it, they could be together. But again, he'd never force her into anything. It wouldn't be easy to get over her, she was a mystery, but just having that note deep in his mind that she didn't want to be with him would be enough to know he would have to.

"People will see you as a pervert if this thing gets out. You are obsessed with an underage girl you just want to fuck!" No, Hardy was wrong. It wasn't just a sexual lust he felt for her. It was a real love that he wanted to give her. He wanted to take her to dinner and go to the cinema or do whatever she wanted to. All his tainted heart wanted was to love.

"Ezra? What is this girls name?" Hardy tried impatiently to get a response out of him.

"No, I'm not giving you her name." He leaned his palms on the counter and held gazes with his college buddy.

"Give me her name or I'll have to find out myself." Ezra knew his friend was serious, he was an expert in doing 'background checks' on people. Namely potential bachelorettes he had his eyes on.

"No, you have to leave."

"Ezra-"

"No, Hardy. Leave." Ezra sternly pointed at the door as he eyes burned with a slightly drunken rage. Nothing Hardy would say would faze his affection for Aria. Ezra knew that this obsession scared himself. It was sure to sound alarms off in other people's heads too. He didn't think he was capable of caring about someone so much since the multiple women who left his life and after his vow to not love again.

"Are you listening to yourself, Ezra! You are insane to think that you can actually have a relationship with a teenage girl." Ezra went back to his mute state and continued to point at the door. "I'm only trying to do what's best for you." Hardy muttered as he walked out the door in defeat, leaving Ezra alone with his alcohol and hopeless dreaming.

**Happy Mother's Day guys! My day has been going... fantastic. I got a longboard yesterday and I was riding today. Long story short, I was turning, hit a pot hole and fell. I got a nasty scrape on the side of my knee and it hurts like hell :(. Well, it's _bound_ to happen. Hope you guys have a better day than I am and don't forget to review!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hi guys! Sorta quick update, yay! Well, I'm home from school because of my injured leg. it hurts so much I can barely move the leg T.T. Because of that I was able to type this faster and be able to write this. I know it's a little shorter than usual but the next chapter will be a lot longer. I took _A LOT _of risks with this chapter so please bear with me if it's horrible.**

_"The loneliest moment in someone's life is when they are watching their whole world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly."_ It was a quote that Aria could very well express and be able to relate to. It was also one of the quotes that Ezra had written on the board for the class to discuss.

Aria, along with the rest of the students in her period, watched Ezra attentively as he taught. But like everyday since that damned kiss, he had been jittery with his words an actions; today more than before. She caught him glancing at the clock a few times during the hour and fidgeting when seated. He had regained his composure though. And was no longer dazing off and losing focus. He seemed to now be constantly on alert.

As the bell rung, he cleared his throat and dismissed his pupils. His eyes seemed to dart around the room as his hands folded together. "Miss Montgomery, can I have a moment of your time?" Everyone seemed to stop and stare at her before going on their usual business, still a bit suspicious to what might be happening after they all left. Aria observed that Ezra's Adam's apple bobbed a bit as she came closer. She was scared too, it was the closest she had been with him since she was in his apartment. She couldn't help but feel bad when she ran out of the building that night, seeing his rejected expression as she sprinted like a frightened kitten.

"I want to say this in the most non-creepy way as possible. I just really need to get this off my chest so we can both move on." Ezra didn't dare make eye contact with Aria. His baby blues stayed fixed on the classroom's ceiling. His hands often ran through his hair and he took pauses as he spoke. "I can't stop thinking about you, about the kiss we had. About that night where you came to me, scared and confused. Even before that day, I felt an attraction towards you and it scared me. I know that it can only lead to no good for both of us if I continue this odd behavior. And I don't want to see to hurt more because of what might happen if I get out of control," He said. Ezra took a large breath, a small weight was lifted off of his shoulders after he finished, but the underlying stress of her still being in front of him, witnessing and hanging onto his every word was present.

"I know I could be arrested and lose my job for you being in my apartment. And I know I'm not being the most professional person by telling you the things that I am." Ezra confessed. Their eyes remained unconnected, but Ezra's hands continued to awkwardly twist his tie in between his fingers.

"I think we're far past the line of professionalism." Aria whispered, smiling meekly. Ezra smiled along and nodded ruefully.

"Yes, we are." Ezra took a deep breath before continuing. "Aria, I don't really know what to think about my feelings towards you. But I just need you to tell me that you don't want to be with me. That's all I need. It hurts me, but it's the only way I'll be able to get you off my mind and be able to leave you alone."

"What if I feel them too?" The words left Aria's mouth before she was able to think them. It was true that she had feelings towards this man, but how could she allow herself to fall in love with him? He deserved better than her. He didn't deserve a vicious seventeen year old with no chance at a real, happy life. Her words apparently shocked Ezra too. His eyes bugged a bit and he swallowed harshly. That was the wrong thing to say, but she couldn't take them back now. It was strange how the room fell silent for those few moments.

Before any of them could even think straight again, Ezra leaned down and pressed his lips softly against Aria's. His hands very gently grazing her soft, pink cheeks. Aria was fazed for a moment, but quickly fell under his spell and kissed back, gripping his muscular shoulder lightly. After a few seconds, Ezra pulled back, clearly shocked and ashamed again at what his foolish impulses made him do.

"Aria, I am so-" He couldn't even finish his sentence when Aria feverishly crashed her lips against his once more, seeking the warmth that radiated from his face. It was Ezra's turn to be taken aback by the sudden kiss and be stunned before returning the favor.

All of the morals Aria had set for herself when she escaped Ravenswood were thrown into the wind. All the promises that she had made to herself, saying she would never fall deeper into her affection she felt for this man, saying that she would not let herself corrupt his life like she did everyone else she came in contact with. He was so passionate, he was nervous talking to her in those moments. Not because he was afraid of what she did, he didn't even know. But because it scared him so much that he wanted something that could end up being so toxic.

They both pulled back and continued to hold onto each other. They stood in silence and their eyes remained closed. Ezra pulled back further and stood up straighter, glancing outside the window. "We can't do this here." He whispered. Aria nodded and squeezed his muscular arm again before breaking all contact with him and scrambling to grab her books.

"Aria?" Ezra shoved his hands into his tan dress pants pockets. "I'm sure that we're both confused about where this leaves us. If you could stop by my apartment so we can talk things out in a bit more comfortable environment. I-I'm available all day, okay?"

Aria nodded distractedly, her mind was still whirring about what went on the past few moments. The overwhelming, feuding sides of her mind fought for what they thought she deserved. Did she deserve that sliver of happiness Ezra was willing to give her? Or did she not suffer enough in Ravenswood? Nonetheless, she agreed to talk about things with Ezra, it might give her a more clear perspective of some things, hopefully.

* * *

Aria was currently seated on Ezra's leather couch, watching him fix their cups of tea. She wanted this relationship as much as she didn't. So many things could happen if they agreed to do this. Same would happen if they agreed to not. But it all revolved around whether or not Ezra knew the truth. The reality of what happened and who that made her. Aria swore to herself that he would never know, but she was only using him because of that. He became a safe haven for her because he didn't know, his apartment was a non-judgmental space for her.

Aria was unsure of his reaction, but if it meant either saving him or being able to live with one less thing to be guilty about, she'd have to take the risk.

Ezra sat down on the couch beside her, the couch shifting under his weight. He handed Aria the warm cup and stared around his apartment. "I don't know what to say, honestly. For once in my life, I'm at a loss of words." He said, staring straight at the dark blue walls. "I'm not sure what you hope to happen or if we're even on the same page when it comes to this, but I want you to know that this is your decision, I can't and will never force you into doing anything."

"I know you wouldn't." Aria whispered, taking a sip of her hot drink. Ezra observed how her pupils had become bigger in his dim apartment. The darkness in her eyes bled over the gorgeous ring of hazel, swallowing it all up. Her eyes still shimmered with nothing, like the first time that he had noticed her grim demeanor. He loved something so much different than anything else he had ever loved. All the other past women he had a relationship with were the wealthy daughters of other rich families or girls he thought would work out, despite his mother's constant complaining. But again, she was right and he was wrong. All of his relationships, 11 in counting, all ended in him heartbroken. He had constantly fallen foolishly in love with such one dimensional women. He felt Aria was so much more than that.

Aria wasn't afraid of him for being so upfront about this. She wanted this as much as he did.

She would be passing the point of no return if she told him the truth. He would be heartbroken again, but it was what was right. He couldn't love a person who could end up destroying him, possibly literally. She definitely had the potential to.

"Ezra, there's something that I need to tell you. You might want to put down your cup." Ezra stared at we incredulously, but complied. He folded his hands in his lap and turned his body to face her. He waited in silence before she continued. "You know I was detained, but you don't know why." Ezra shook his head and he started to grow a little nervous as she did. If the rest of the town knew, why couldn't he? He deserved to know why she was such a train wreck.

This was it, right? This was the moment that would either make them or break them. Aria was nearly certain that he'd run for the hills, but it was the right thing to do. If they were to have a relationship of whatever form, she would be living a lie with him. The secret was something that would ultimately change the way he thought about her entirely. It would only make her more guilty if she didn't. He deserved to know the truth.

"I was arrested because I'm a murderer."

**You will find more in depth about what really happened _NEXT CHAPTER._ I know, I'm horrible for leaving a cliff hanger, but what's a good story without one? Next chapter will sort of be Aria telling Ezra what happens and flashbacks will be included as much as possible. I can promise you that it will be good. Until next time! Don't forget to review!**


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